加利福尼亚州再现疯牛病(视频)
（文本为视频大致内容，可能与视频并非完全一致，欢迎大家贡献听写稿^^）Two South Korean retailers have discontinued selling U.S.-imported beef after a new case of mad cow disease was discovered in the United States.
John Clifford, the chief veterinary officer for the U.S. Agriculture Department, announced the discovery Tuesday.
"The animal was a dairy cow from the state of California," said Clifford. "Our laboratory confirmed the findings and also indicated that it was an atypical form of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) which is a rare form of the disease. It is not likely to be attributable to infected feed, which is the method in which normally BSE would be spread from from cow to cow."
South Korean agricultural officials say they will step up inspections of U.S. beef imports in light of Tuesday's announcement, but says it will not suspend customs clearance of U.S. beef, which would have effectively halted the imports.
Seoul imposed an import ban on U.S. beef after the initial discovery of mad cow disease. It ended the ban in 2008 after reaching an agreement with Washington, an agreement which sparked several weeks of mass street protests. South Korea imported 107,000 tons of beef in 2011.
The discovery could have an impact on current negotiations between the U.S. and Japan over a trans-Pacific trade deal. Tokyo also banned U.S. beef imports in 2003, but agreed in 2005 to limit the imports to cattle 20 months old or younger.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimara told reporters Wednesday the discovery will have no bearing on the trade talks.
"Basing our information on the scientific facts, the matter in question is completely separate. The BSE (mad cow disease) situation, with regards to the discussion surrounding TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), has absolutely no relationship. Please clearly understand this point," said Fujimara.
Fujimara also said the government will not change its inspection process, since the infected cow was older than 30 months.
Clifford said at no time was human health at risk. He said the affected cow was never meant to be slaughtered for meat and that milk does not transmit the disease.
Clifford said longstanding safeguards by the United States and other countries to protect humans from mad cow disease are working. He noted there were just 29 cases of the disease worldwide in 2011, dramatically down from the peak of more than 37,000 cases in 1992.
Mad cow disease attacks the brains of affected cattle. It is always fatal. Doctors believe people can come down with a human form of the disease by eating tainted meat.
Clifford said agriculture officials are sharing the laboratory results with the World Organization for Animal Health.
国际在线消息：据美联社25日报道，美国农业部当天表示，该国加利福尼亚州一头奶牛被发现感染了“疯牛病”。这是美国自2006年最后一次发现疯牛病病例以来的首次。
报道说，美国农业部在对全美4万头奶牛开展的一次监察计划后发现了这头染病的奶牛。此牛也成为自2003年以来在美国本土发现的第四头“疯牛”。
不过，当局卫生部门说，对美国国家粮食供应链来说，这一次发现“疯牛”根本不算什么威胁。美国农业部首席兽医官约翰?克利福德当天在新闻发布会上表示，人类只有直接食用受病毒感染的牛肉才有几率患上疯牛病，但美国奶牛的牛肉根本就不会进入肉食品的供应链，也就是说大家根本就吃不到，所以根本无需为这一消息而恐慌。美国全国养牛协会当天也发表声明说，美国对食品供应链的管控措施是有效的，美国现有所有牛的鲜牛肉和牛肉产品是安全的，可以安全地进行进出口交易。
疯牛病又称牛海绵状脑病（BSE），是一种致命的牛脑部疾病，人类脑部也可能感染该致命疾病。据介绍，由于世界范围内的积极预防，全球疯牛病病例已经从1992年的37311例锐减到2011年的29例。而在1993年英国大规模爆发疯牛病后，美国也已加强了针对这一疾病的预防措施。
来源：国际在线专稿
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